Cut-off valve and actuating means therefor



June 13, 1933. F. A. GILLEN CUT-OFF VALVE AND ACTUATING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Dec.\18, 1931 Patented June 13, 1933 Y 1,914,250

ritANi: A. GiLLnN, 'or fixiiimv Yoan, N. fr.

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CUT-OFF VALVE AND ACTUATING MEANS THEREFOR Application filed December A1S, 19131. Serial No. 581,963.

This ,invention relates generally to valves, Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional. and refers more particularly to a cuteoii3 valve view taken approximately on the line indiand actuating means for closing the same cated at 2-2 in Figure l. which is eiective against a high fluid pres- Figure 3 is a top plan view particularly sure, such as, for" instance, iii oil Wells, or :llustrating the releasahleineans for restrain- 55 otherv analogous uses Where the pressure of 111g the firing or igniting means. the fluid vpassing through the valve is an im- Referring to the drawing by characters of portant factor to overcome in effecting the reference, 10 designatesa valve casing, which closing of the valve. in the present instance is disclosed as of the 10 The inventionV aims fer'ene of' its Objeets gate valve type, although not necessarily re- 60 t provide a, Valve Closing means which is 0p- STCBCl 130-l1lS ClaSS Of Valve The Casing deerable by the injpact-of an @Xplosiye Charge lIlQS a. IrlUilCl pLSSge l1 WhlCll 1S IIGISQCeCl of sudicient forceto'overcome any possible reby VSeats 1 2, the confronting faces of which n eietanee which, may be Offered by 'the fluid converge in the direction of closing movei, pressure passiigthrgugh the Valve Casing, 1119111) O the Valve plug O1' gate 13 WlllCll has 65 The invention further .contemplates in com- CQllGSiOlCllIlgly COHVelegent side faces 14 binetion with an expleeively 'Operable valve' adapted to cooperate with the convergent seat closing means, normally restrainedmeansfor fCeS-V AS lllUS-latefl the @215mg S fOlmeCl firing or igniting the charge, Which ring or, 'With a. laterally, and in the present instance,

jgnirjngpmeeng is releaeebie 'and reneiereel` an upwardly projecting boss 15 Which is de- 70 active either Vmanually or When subjected to Signed to receive and house the valve plug or e predetermined been l n A l gate 13 when the'same is in its inactive un# Tneinvenrien enne for e Still further eb'. seated position, so as not to interfere With y ject to provide 'e valve @aging and Valve ping the free passage of uid through the fluid" "-vvhich are so constructedvas to eliminate the PaSSge 1l 0f 'll CLSllg. Tlie'valve plug or 75 necessity of employing a stungbox or paek-v gate 13 is provided adjacent its upper end ing gland Jfor sealing the casing at the peint with an external coniguratioii 16 correw'here the'valvve stem extends therethrough, epondujlg approximately t0 the internal contherebyelminating the'frictioh andrresultliguration 0I" the boss l5 t0 provide a Snug 0"ant retardation'to the closing movement of ft WlllCll, Wlllle not necessarily fluid. proof, 80 the Valve, While nerding e, more eifeetive aords a substantial bearing and guide formeans for preventing leakage of Jthe iiuid the valve plug or gate 13. A bonnet 17 is sepreeeure when the Valve is Open7 than is peecured to the outer or upper end of the boss 15 sible With packing glandsor stuliing boxes. flIlCl CleflnGS an Opelllng 18 therethrough Other (Objects, of Jehe invention' reside in e which .istape'red or conical and constitutes a V85 valve Vand valve actuating means of the inseat With which a corresponding tapered or dicated character which employs but few and conical head 19. of the valve plug 13 engages simple parts capable or economical pioduct0 .llSlll il fluid lgll Seal When the ValYe tien and assemblage end which is highly ein. plug 13 is unseated or inactive so as to avoid cient for the intended purpose. leakage at the point Where the actuating stem 90 TvVith the aboverecited and other objects in 20 lOl the Valve plug extends throughY the View, reference is had te the 'following de'- bonnet 1?. 1t will be understood and appreseriptien and accompanying drawing, in elated that the pressure of the fluid in the. which there is exhibited one exemple er einvalve casing i() will function to insure the 15 bodiinent of the invention, vvhile the claims Sdllg 0f ill@ heed 19 l the Seal? 1S and thus 95 define the actual scope of the same. Y avoid leakage Without resorting to the use Inv the drawing: cfa stuiiing box or packing gland at this Figure lis avertical sectional view through Y P OIH- AS Illustrated, the bonnet 17 cara'valvev and actuating means therefor con- HCS all OUWaldly, Vandan the present in-v 0 structed in accordance With the invention. stance,y an' upwardly projecting cylindrical 100 29. T he upper end of the barrel is externaloraminous extension 21 which is of appreciably greater internal diameter than the external diameter of the stem and Within which is adapted to slide an enlarged plung er 22 which frictionally tits the internal diameter of the extension'21. The Lipper end 22 of the extension is provided with an aperture 23 of a size to snugly receive the upper end of the stem 20, and a barrel 24, preterably integral With the upper end 22,V extends upwardly therefrom and is formed with a bore 25 corresponding to the diameter of the aperture 23 for receivingl therein the upper end of the stem 20. The upper end of the barrel constitutes a chamber for the reception of a cartridge 26 containing an explosive charge 27. The cartridge is provided at its upper end with an enlarged head 28 which bears against the upper end of the barrel 24 and is provided with a central percussion cap ly threaded as at 30 and receives thereover a cap 31 within which a tiring pin 32 is arranged for guided longitudinal movement.

The cap 3l is formed with an internal annu-A lar Vflange 33 defining a central opening 34 in alignment with the percussion cap 29.

n tiring pin spring 35 surrounds-the tiring pin and is interposed between the upper end 36 of the'cap 31 and a spring seat 37 aiixed to the firino' in so that the s rin@ when the firing ID 7 a C pin is released, drives the pin through the aperture 34 into contact with the percussion cap 29 for firing the explosive charge which acts against the upper end of the stem 2O to drivethe valve plug or gate 13 downwardly into' seated relation tothe seats 12 for cutting oi the flow of fluid to the fluid passage 11 of the valve casing 10. f

In order to provide means for releasably holding-the tiring pin in a retracted position whereby the same may be either manually released or released by a predetermined temperature, the cap 31 carries a yoke 38, the outer bight portion 39 of which is formed with a slot- V40. A manually displaceable retainer comprising a shank 41 engageable in the slot 40 is provided, and the shank is Jformed with a head 42 which overlies the bight 39 and which has attached thereto a displacing cable 43. The opposite end of the shank 41 is yformed with a hooked terminal 44, and the tiring pin 32 is formed with a hooked terminal 45. A fusible link 46 is engaged with the terminals 44 and 45 and when the displace- "able retainer is in position on the yoke, the

tiring spring 35 is held under tension and the tiring pin retracted.

In use-and operation, where the valve is installed adjacent the outlet end of an oil well casing A., in event the discharge becomes ignited, it is apparent that the dis-V placeable retainer 41 may be manually displaced by exerting a pull on the cable 43. If theheat generated from lthe ignited oil is suiicient to melt the fusible link 40, it is obvious that the ring pin will be released. In either instance, the release of the tiring pin will cause the same to forcibly engage with the percussion cap 29 to explode the explosive charge 27 and eiect the movement of the plug 13 to a closed condition.

- From thetoregoing, it will lthus be seen that a cut-off valve and operating means therefor has been devised which may be either automatically or manually rendered effective to cut oli the flow of fluid through the valve casing. L c

What is claimed is:

1. In a cut-oit valve, a valve casing and a valve plug having a controlling stem protruding from the casing and interengageable portions on said plug and casing, eiiective by the'pressure of the Huid passing through the casing when theplug is in unseated inactive position, to seal the casing against leakage at the point where the stem protrudes and explosive means for acting upon the stem to move the valve plug to its active position for cutting 0H the flow of fluid through the casing. j

2. In a cut-oit valve, a valve casing and a valve plug having a controlling stem protruding from the casing and interengageable portions on said plug and casing, eiective by the pressure of the fluid passing through the casing when the plug is in unseated inactive position, to seal the casing against leakage at the point where the stem protrudes and explosive means for acting upon the stem to move the valve plug to itsactive position for cutting olf the flow of uid'through the casing, said means comprising a cartridge supported in juxtaposition to the stem for acting thereupon when discharged and means for `discharging the'same.

' 3. In a cut-olf` valve, a valve casing and a valve plug having a controlling stem protruding from the casing and interengageable portions on said plug and casing, effective by the pressure of the fluid Vpassing through the casing when the plug is in unseated inactive position, to seal the casing against leakage at the point Where the stem protrudes and explosive means Jfor acting upon the stem tomove the valve plug to its active position for cutting off the flow of iuid through the casing, said means comprising a cartridge supported in juxtaposition to the stem for vacting thereupon when discharged and heat ipa iio

the stem to move the valve plug to its active position for cutting oil the lovv of Huid through the casing, a cartridge supported in juxtaposition to the stem for acting thereupon When discharged and manually controlled means for discharging thesame.

5. In a cut-oi valve, a valve casing and a valve plug having a controlling stem protruding from the casino and interengageable portions on said plug and casing, effective by the pressure of the iuid passing through the casing when the plug is in unseated inactive position, to seal the casing against leakage at the point Where the stem protrudes and explosive means for acting upon the stem to move the valve plug to its active position for cutting oiil the flow of fluid through the casing, said means comprising a cartridge supported in juxtaposition to the stem for acting thereupon When discharged and optional means ;t'or discharging the `same manually or by a predetermined degree of heat.

6. In combination, a cut-off valve including a casing having a fluid passage extending therethrough and a valve seat in said passage, a valve plug adapted to be held normally open and having a controlling stern protruding from the casing and explosively operated means adapted to act upon the stem for moving the valve plug to closed active seated condition.

FRANK A.. GILLEN.

said means comprising i 

